2016-2017 University of Illinois Application Thread

BU Medical Sciences
This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.
Members don't see this ad.
Great advice!


KKGPreMed said:
So, of course I'm not an authority on this, but I really just suggest you don't. They won't ask you about preferences until your accepted, and wherever you interview you are going to be speaking to representatives of that location. So, most likely, they actually really like that location... and since bias is pretty hard to measure in traditional style interview reports/notes coming from say, Peoria, to Chicago, it's in your best interest to just impress whoever you're with and leave the location out of it. My point is, if you interview in Peoria, the people there really like the Peoria location, so telling them straight up in your interview (during which they won't even ask you where you want to be) that you would rather be in Chicago could leave a bad taste in their mouths. Because, lets face it, they're human and it could be insulting to them that you aren't even considering a place they really like.

Of course I doubt they would ever write in their evaluation of you, "he was rude for not considering our site" or something like that, but just saying it could cloud their judgement of you and every other subsequent thing you say in the interview. It's a pretty thing to think that all interviewers are totally unbiased and wouldn't do this, but I think its MUCH safer to assume their human and this could happen. Just my thoughts.

Also, I've been told by students that no matter how interested you are in Chicago/how much interest you show in Chicago/etc it doesn't guarantee that you're going to be there. So, basically you could bring it up 100 times, and they still might ask you to attend in Rockford.
Click to expand...
 
So after interviewing and talking to students/admissions committee members: Campus selection seems like it's mostly a matter of "First come, first serve." It's possible that you get reassigned (like if you're from rural area, have experience only with rural medicine, and request Chicago, you might get switched to Rockford), but for the most part, earlier interviewers get their choice of campus. They said that most interviews up to early-November generally get their first choice of campus. After that, Chicago starts filling up.
 
Have you already interviewed? How was the interview day like? Thanks.

FindersFee5 said:
So after interviewing and talking to students/admissions committee members: Campus selection seems like it's mostly a matter of "First come, first serve." It's possible that you get reassigned (like if you're from rural area, have experience only with rural medicine, and request Chicago, you might get switched to Rockford), but for the most part, earlier interviewers get their choice of campus. They said that most interviews up to early-November generally get their first choice of campus. After that, Chicago starts filling up.
Click to expand...
 
IS Interviewed 9/12. It was a great experience. Everyone was very nice. Three interviews, then lunch, then tour of campus.

Does anyone know when the adcom meets for regular decision applicants? Last year's thread said second to last Thursday of October... The suspense is killing me.
 
CASPer's earliest date upon receiving a secondary from the school on 09/22/2016 and submitting the next day was, 10/20/2016. What the actual **** CASPer. I am a little pissed that the earliest CASPer date was a MONTH from secondary invite and that the completion of this test and subsequent delivery of the results itself (which I heard may take up to a month) is going to delay me from possibly getting an interview by 1-2 months. I'm correct in saying that CASPer must be completed and delivered prior to possible interview invite? I mean why is the earliest test date a month when this test is an online administration? I can register and take the MCAT in half that time.
 
Last edited:
themurph9252 said:
CASPer's earliest date upon receiving a secondary from the school on 09/22/2016 and submitting the next day was, 10/20/2016. What the actual **** CASPer. I am a little pissed that the earliest CASPer date was a MONTH from secondary invite and that the completion of this test and subsequent delivery of the results itself (which I heard may take up to a month) is going to delay me from possibly getting an interview by 1-2 months. I'm correct in saying that CASPer must be completed and delivered prior to possible interview invite? I mean why is the earliest test date a month when this test is an online administration?
Click to expand...

couldn't you have taken casper before turning in your secondary? seems like you're misdirecting your anger
 
pmg54 said:
couldn't you have taken casper before turning in your secondary? seems like you're misdirecting your anger
Click to expand...

Well, yes I could have, if it was available at an earlier date. I checked the dates of CASPer the day I had received the secondary, on 09/22/2016, because I saw that it was required and the earliest CASPer date was 10/20/2016. I had submitted the secondary on 09/23/2016. In short, I checked the CASPer dates the day I received my secondary. The earliest date ws 10/20/2016.

Essentially I don't understand why CASPer would not have set additional dates between 09/22/2016 and 10/20/2016.
 
themurph9252 said:
Well, yes I could have, if it was available at an earlier date. I checked the dates of CASPer the day I had received the secondary, on 09/22/2016, because I saw that it was required and the earliest CASPer date was 10/20/2016. I had submitted the secondary on 09/23/2016. In short, I checked the CASPer dates the day I received my secondary. The earliest date ws 10/20/2016.

Essentially I don't understand why CASPer would not have set additional dates between 09/22/2016 and 10/20/2016.
Click to expand...
yeah, that sucks, but it's on UIC's website that casper is a part of their supplemental app, so you could have taken it at any point during the summer. i don't understand why you think it's so unfair...
 
pmg54 said:
yeah, that sucks, but it's on UIC's website that casper is a part of their supplemental app, so you could have taken it at any point during the summer. i don't understand why you think it's so unfair...
Click to expand...

I don't think it's unfair, per se, but just stupid not to make more dates available. Just a personal opinion. Why would I spend the money to take CASPer without knowing if I had a secondary? But, I see your point. I'm not tremendously angry, just annoyed.
 
I think expecting someone to complete a second part of the secondary before submitting isn't reasonable. If they are going to require the Casper as part of the criteria they are judging an applicant on, they should offer more dates for applicants. Anyway, I'm not convinced they don't look at the secondary before the Casper results are in


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile
 
Ok, it really doesn't matter and we all completed the casper. Agree to disagree


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile
 
Earlier this month after calling the admissions office a bunch of times, I got a written conformation via email that all decisions for early decision applicants, deferred or II, will go out prior to 9/30. Guess not. 🙁

I mean I'm sure they've already looked at my application right? If they're not impressed, couldn't they just send a quick email to me so I could start applying to other schools?

Whelp, tomorrow I'm released from my ED commitment so hopefully there's a few schools that are still looking at primaries this late in the game.

If anyone from future years sees this, know that early decision (at least to UIC) might not actually be an early decision. It was a huge, huge mistake and I should've just played the numbers game and applied across the board.
 
Haven't received secondary yet should I be worried?

Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk
 
Just so everyone can get a general timeline. II 10/4, complete 9/05, CASPR 8/28. 3.9 GPA and 513 MCAT, u of i for undergrad. Good luck everybody.
 
Has anyone who has sent an update email gotten any sort of confirmation email that they've acknowledged it? I sent one a few days ago and haven't heard anything yet.
 
II, IS. Complete mid august, CASPER Aug 30. Checked interview dates and only 11/29 available which is when I'm out of town. How often do they open new dates? and do openings ever pop up?
 
Last edited:
brett1234 said:
II, IS. Complete mid august, CASPER Aug 30. Checked interview dates and only 11/29 available which is when I'm out of town. How often do they open new dates? and do openings ever pop up?
Click to expand...

I had a lot of trouble scheduling an interview due to a pretty hectic work travel schedule - it took me a full two weeks before I finally successfully scheduled it and basically it seems like they post new dates within an hour or two of the available dates filling up and the usually seem to only post like 2 new dates (and only for one site) at a time. Just totally anecdotally from watching the site like a hawk for two weeks, it seems like it takes a 2-3 days for Peoria or Rockford dates to fill up but only a few hours for Chicago dates. Also, sometimes the website will say there are like 8 spots available but actually it's a glitch and when you call there won't be spots. Sometimes there are cancellations though - one time when I called they said they had a cancellation for that Thursday, but I already had other travel plans for work and I'm across the country so that wouldn't have worked. If you're IS it might be easier? It's unclear if the cancellations show up on the site so it could be worth calling to ask?

Soooo basically I think it's possible to schedule for a later date that works for you at a site that you want, but you might have to like literally constantly refresh the page for 2-3 weeks. Also, by waiting two weeks, my interview date ended up being about a month later than it could've been so that could happen too.
 
What percentage of those that receive interviews are accepted?
 
In-state applicant and "applicant in progress" since mid July. Should I give them a call?
 
Nels10 said:
In-state applicant and "applicant in progress" since mid July. Should I give them a call?
Click to expand...

Ive called a couple times. 1 because one of my letter writers didn't sign their letter. Second time to just check up. What they told me was, "Hey we get XXXX applicants and youll be gotten to as soon as possible. (more or less)"

Feel free to give them a call, they are super nice. But if you're worried there's an issue with your application - They will contact you first (or they did for me).
 
djokingaround said:
if you don't mind me asking, what was your opinion about the interviews? did they basically just ask the classic interview questions?
Click to expand...

The interview was stress free and very conversational. I won't go in detail because like all the other interviews, they always make you sign that you can't speak about the questions
 
Is it normal to still be applicant in progress when I submitted my secondary around august 1st? OOS if anyone thinks that matters...
 
If you're accepted, will you get a campus assignment before you're required to place a down payment? Or is that up in the air until class starts? I own a home in the suburbs and I will need a long time to sell and everything else.
 
Transmuralmi said:
If you're accepted, will you get a campus assignment before you're required to place a down payment? Or is that up in the air until class starts? I own a home in the suburbs and I will need a long time to sell and everything else.
Click to expand...

By "down payment" do you mean deposit? If you're accepted, you get a "fat packet" by postal mail. It takes a week to a month to receive it once your online status changes. There are forms which you need to fill out and return. These include a form for specifying your campus preference as well as your deposit. The deposit is less than $100 per AAMC rules. Once you return these, either in person or by postal mail, you wait for them to tell you your campus assignment. I think this takes a week to a month as well. Also, once you're assigned a campus, there is a chance to appeal closer to the start of the school year, but they only consider extreme circumstances, such as health-related issues for you or your family. This usually only applies if you wanted the Chicago campus because it's in much higher demand. In past threads, people have said that those who appealed based on owning a house in Chicago were denied. (You didn't say you wanted to do this, but just FYI.)

Last year almost nobody got their appeals accepted because UIC was "over-subscribed" with the amount of accepted students. I think a few people who were accepted earlier and appealed earlier had some success, but those accepted later in the cycle were not considered at all. If anyone wants more info about this, I can give more details on what happened (or you can look at last year's thread.)

The deposit is refundable until April 30. Check out the "AAMC Traffic Rules" here (specifically step 7): https://students-residents.aamc.org...ation-and-acceptance-protocols-admission-off/
 
Hi people, do you know how long UIC takes to put up new interview dates? I got my interview request on October 5th and I called the office she said to keep watching but there has been very little movement?
 
Pretty surprised how casual the interviews were. Except for questions like "why medicine" or "why illinois", my hours of preparation for this interview were a huge waste of time. This is of course, just my personal experience. If anything, my prep did at least give me some confidence going in there.
Seems like all they want to do is to make sure you're not a weird person who can't hold a conversation.
 
Can anyone talk about their interview experience??
 
I just checked my status page and noticed that on the first page it says "UIC Fee Waver: N" even though I have the AAMC waiver and I remember not having to pay for the secondary to UIC. My status is "Applicant in Process" and I have thought I was complete since they received my CASPer results sometime in August. Anyone else with FAP have this "N" on the first page? Just making sure it doesn't mean they haven't reviewed my app thinking I haven't paid..
 
YungGeezy said:
Can anyone talk about their interview experience??
Click to expand...
I interviewed in Chicago. The interview was great. Very conversational and the interviewers really made an effort to get to know you. All my fellow interviewees were nice and there was not a cut-throat atmosphere. All the medical students were willing to talk and were very informative.

al22al22 said:
I just checked my status page and noticed that on the first page it says "UIC Fee Waver: N" even though I have the AAMC waiver and I remember not having to pay for the secondary to UIC. My status is "Applicant in Process" and I have thought I was complete since they received my CASPer results sometime in August. Anyone else with FAP have this "N" on the first page? Just making sure it doesn't mean they haven't reviewed my app thinking I haven't paid..
Click to expand...

I have the N on my status page as well and I also have FAP


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile
 
Hey. So the last date for material they received on my portal is Aug 30th which is the same day I took my CASPER. I am still in progress though instead of ever moving to process. Is anyone else in this boat? It seemed from last year like people moved into process in about a month or so. I am IS.
 
yeye32 said:
I interviewed in Chicago. The interview was great. Very conversational and the interviewers really made an effort to get to know you. All my fellow interviewees were nice and there was not a cut-throat atmosphere. All the medical students were willing to talk and were very informative.
Click to expand...

+1

Agree 100%. Great students who are down to earth, chill interviewees and interviews and overall great vibe.


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile[/QUOTE]
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

wysdoc
2024-2025 Illinois
16 17 18 19 20
Replies
997
Views
199K
freezyqueen1432
F
chilly_md
2024-2025 Carle-Illinois
2 3 4 5
Replies
232
Views
52K
User_0202604
User_0202604
wysdoc
2024-2025 Southern Illinois (SIU)
2 3 4
Replies
181
Views
40K
weewoobusdriver
W
wysdoc
2024-2025 University of Washington
10 11 12 13 14
Replies
680
Views
144K
stew_md
S
wysdoc
2024-2025 University of Chicago (Pritzker)
12 13 14 15 16
Replies
778
Views
202K
X0001234
X0001234
Top